turn around just in time to avoid running into her. She’s standing in front of worktables covered with stacks upon stacks upon stacks of shimmery navy-blue rectangles. Next to those rectangles are box after box of short lengths of little white rope. It takes a minute for my brain to catch up to my eyes and realize I’m looking at my very own production line of hundreds of unfinished programs. My mouth falls open.
“You can pull over one of those stools.” Walker gestures towards the floral side of the room. “I’ll be back in a while to check on you.”
I nod absentmindedly.
I shouldn’t ask, but I have to know.
“How . . . How many guests are you expecting?” I try and sound casual.
“Uh, I think we’re at 417 last count, right, Jin?” Walker asks.
I look over at Miko, who’s not even trying to hide her smile. I realize now that she’s followed us here just to see the look on my face when I realize the amount of rope tying I’ll be doing today.
“That’s right, but you know Selah always wants extra just in case, so I’m guessing there’s five hundred here. Better get at it, sailor.” She actually salutes me.
Both of them turn to leave, and I look down at the now wrinkled computer printout of maritime knot-tying directions in my hands.
Excuse my language, but it’s gonna be a long-ass day.
Later that afternoon, around I don’t know what time, Miko shows up at my worktable with a brown bag in one hand and a to-go coffee cup in the other.
“I’ve brought provisions,” she says, setting them both down in front of me.
“God bless you!” I grab the coffee and take a sip. The sugary nirvana of a pumpkin spice latte permeates me all the way down to my toes, and I feel a million times better. In the bag is a sandwich wrap. I don’t even look to see what kind it is before I take a gigantic bite.
“You know, one of the perks about being on program duty is that no one is looking over your shoulder,” Miko says, leaning one of her slim hips against the table. “You could leave to get yourself food and caffeine. No one would notice if you were gone for a few minutes.”
“I’ve only finished 174. I don’t have time to leave.” I talk between bites. “Plus with my luck I’d leave at the exact moment they come to check on me.”
“This is true; your luck is pretty bad. I mean, in only a few days here you’ve seen Selah go full-bitch at least twice that I know of. Then the Ken doll fries your synapses and now you’re earning your knot-tying patch.” She fiddles with a loose piece of rope in the box.
“Ken doll?” I shove the last of the wrap into my mouth.
“Brody Ashton. I saw you dealing with the two of them yesterday. Being trapped by that much combined gorgeousness isn’t good for anyone’s self-esteem.”
“You saw that?” I wipe my hands on a napkin from the bag.
“Of course I saw that! Anyone with a functioning uterus eye-banged him all the way across the room.”
“I guess,” I mutter, picking up another piece of rope to tie.
Miko leans down to get a better look at my face.
“Well, now I know you’re full of it! Only a blind woman wouldn’t find him sexy as hell, and even then the guide dog would lead her to him!” She giggles.
“I guess he’s just not my type.” I continue to work on my knot with the tips of my now-raw fingers.
“He’s everyone’s type. Even I’d give him a go, and I hate blondes.”
“Thanks,” I say, mock offended.
“You’re the exception to the rule, but that’s neither here nor there. He’s gorgeous and wildly successful. And if rumor is to be believed, he only dates Victoria’s Secret models. Why do you think she wants him so badly?”
“His superhuman ability to attract both man and beast isn’t reason enough?” I ask, bemused.
“One of the first things you will learn about your new boss is that she cares about appearance first and foremost. Brody is the toy that all the other kids want to own, so obviously
“You can pull over one of those stools.” Walker gestures towards the floral side of the room. “I’ll be back in a while to check on you.”
I nod absentmindedly.
I shouldn’t ask, but I have to know.
“How . . . How many guests are you expecting?” I try and sound casual.
“Uh, I think we’re at 417 last count, right, Jin?” Walker asks.
I look over at Miko, who’s not even trying to hide her smile. I realize now that she’s followed us here just to see the look on my face when I realize the amount of rope tying I’ll be doing today.
“That’s right, but you know Selah always wants extra just in case, so I’m guessing there’s five hundred here. Better get at it, sailor.” She actually salutes me.
Both of them turn to leave, and I look down at the now wrinkled computer printout of maritime knot-tying directions in my hands.
Excuse my language, but it’s gonna be a long-ass day.
Later that afternoon, around I don’t know what time, Miko shows up at my worktable with a brown bag in one hand and a to-go coffee cup in the other.
“I’ve brought provisions,” she says, setting them both down in front of me.
“God bless you!” I grab the coffee and take a sip. The sugary nirvana of a pumpkin spice latte permeates me all the way down to my toes, and I feel a million times better. In the bag is a sandwich wrap. I don’t even look to see what kind it is before I take a gigantic bite.
“You know, one of the perks about being on program duty is that no one is looking over your shoulder,” Miko says, leaning one of her slim hips against the table. “You could leave to get yourself food and caffeine. No one would notice if you were gone for a few minutes.”
“I’ve only finished 174. I don’t have time to leave.” I talk between bites. “Plus with my luck I’d leave at the exact moment they come to check on me.”
“This is true; your luck is pretty bad. I mean, in only a few days here you’ve seen Selah go full-bitch at least twice that I know of. Then the Ken doll fries your synapses and now you’re earning your knot-tying patch.” She fiddles with a loose piece of rope in the box.
“Ken doll?” I shove the last of the wrap into my mouth.
“Brody Ashton. I saw you dealing with the two of them yesterday. Being trapped by that much combined gorgeousness isn’t good for anyone’s self-esteem.”
“You saw that?” I wipe my hands on a napkin from the bag.
“Of course I saw that! Anyone with a functioning uterus eye-banged him all the way across the room.”
“I guess,” I mutter, picking up another piece of rope to tie.
Miko leans down to get a better look at my face.
“Well, now I know you’re full of it! Only a blind woman wouldn’t find him sexy as hell, and even then the guide dog would lead her to him!” She giggles.
“I guess he’s just not my type.” I continue to work on my knot with the tips of my now-raw fingers.
“He’s everyone’s type. Even I’d give him a go, and I hate blondes.”
“Thanks,” I say, mock offended.
“You’re the exception to the rule, but that’s neither here nor there. He’s gorgeous and wildly successful. And if rumor is to be believed, he only dates Victoria’s Secret models. Why do you think she wants him so badly?”
“His superhuman ability to attract both man and beast isn’t reason enough?” I ask, bemused.
“One of the first things you will learn about your new boss is that she cares about appearance first and foremost. Brody is the toy that all the other kids want to own, so obviously
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